If we're to listen to complaints about Wear OS, the one thing everybody agrees on is that OEMs should try new things. That's why it's interesting to see that LG's announcement of the Watch W7 instantly became the most criticized smartwatch of 2018 — possibly ever. It had an old chipset, a small-ish battery, and hands that obscured the screen. The watch was mocked so relentlessly, we had our doubts that it would ever come out.

But does it really deserve so much hate? There are certainly some compromises and problems, but when you start to consider that the W7 also comes with solutions for some of the common complaints about smartwatches, it might have some potential. I've been using the Watch W7 for a little while and I think there's actually a lot to like about this thing.

Fitbit's smartwatch efforts got off to a slow start with the Ionic, but that device has gotten much better with updates. Meanwhile, the Versa launched with a more understated design and a lower price tag. Today, Fitbit is rolling out more improvements to its smartwatch platform with the new v3.0 update. FitbitOS 3.0 adds more stats in the Today dashboard, some new fitness-oriented app tie-ins, and additional exercise goals.

LG's announcement of the Watch W7 was met with jeers and derision. That was not only because mechanical hands on a smartwatch are a bit silly, but LG wanted a whopping $450 for the device. That was a tough sell in a world where Android smartwatches have yet to prove their utility, but that price didn't last long. After dropping almost immediately to $250, the Lg Watch Wy is now down another $30.

These days, Google's hardware may be all about phones, tablets, laptops, and smart-home gear, but it also continues to experiment with wearables — some more eccentric than others. And while you might know a friend who has a Clips camera, or once spotted someone in public sporting Google Glass, the Commuter X Jacquard smart jacket from Levi's and Google has got to be one of the most low-key of the company's wearable projects. For those of you who have picked one up, we've got some cool news for you today, as Google introduces a new Always Together mode designed to prevent you from leaving your phone (or jacket) behind.

Chinese AI company Mobvoi hosted an event in London today, in part to raise awareness for digital wellbeing, but mainly to make two announcements. The TicPods Free true wireless earbuds that we first heard about in April are now on general sale, but the main attraction is the brand new TicWatch C2.

What good is a smartwatch without some fancy custom watch faces to go with it? Facer has been one of the best sources for cusotmizable watch faces since the days before Google supported third-party watch faces. The app is forging ahead, even as interest in smartwatches has waned. The big v5.0 update adds more designers, including some traditional watchmakers. There's also a new premium subscription option that includes the full catalog of watch faces.

It's a rough time to be interested in wearables to pair with your Android phone. The updated Qualcomm Wear 3100 is still slow to appear in Wear OS devices, and Samsung's Tizen watches are very expensive with poor app support. Then there's Fitbit. These fitness-oriented smartwatches don't have as many features as the others, but they get much better battery life. You pay a bit for the name, but Best Buy has both Fitbit smartwatches discounted right now.

Google has pushed several updates to Wear OS in the last few months, making the case that it hasn't completely give up on wearables after all. Wear OS now looks nicer, has better navigation, and makes it easier to check your notifications. Google has a few more changes to deploy, and they're coming your way in the oddly named "H" update.

Pre-Black Friday sales continue to trickle out a full week ahead of the day itself, and Samsung is the latest to publish its own preview for upcoming discounts. The variety covers everything from wearables to TVs and even smart home gadgets(and we're happy to tell you about them, too), but the promotions that have us most excited are for the company's latest Note and Galaxy-series phones. Starting on the 18th you can get a Note 9 for $800 unlocked, and a Galaxy S9 and S9+ for $520 and $640, respectively.

Fossil has been one of the few companies keeping Wear OS afloat over the past several years as we waited and waited... and waited for a new Qualcomm wearable chip. Well, the Snapdragon Wear 3100 is out there, and now Fossil is launching its first smartwatch with one. The generic-sounding Fossil Sport Smartwatch is a colorful, feature-rich wearable, and it's out in just a few days.